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In many industries, an RFP or “request for proposal” has long been the standard for selecting new vendors.

I’m hoping you’ve opted for another method, because I can’t imagine a worse way to find a long-term partner.

But if you’re still using RFPs, please recognize their limitations.

The RFP process is flawed from the get-go. Its very structure forces the bidding companies to either say what they think you want to hear or actually be brave enough to be candid. If they’re candid, they’re going to tell you that it’s almost impossible for them to actually answer your questions – because they don’t know anything about you yet.

No one wants cookie-cutter solutions, but the RFP process begs for them. I don’t care how much factual information a committee tries to pack into the RFP, it is no substitute for the prospective partners sitting in a room with you, picking your brain, talking to your customers, interviewing your employees and observing your processes.

Perhaps even more valuable, you can learn so much by listening to the questions your prospects ask and where they take the discussion. You’ll be amazed at the differences you can discover among the vendors – if you just spend some time with them.

There are nuances and below-the-surface truths about your business challenges that need to be discovered before any good potential partner can truly have an impact on your business or your bottom line.

Would you send a prospective physician a written document describing a pain in your neck and expect him to accurately diagnose your ailment and prescribe a treatment?

Why is choosing a business partner any different?

Drew McLellan is Top Dog at McLellan Marketing Group and blogs at www.drewsmarketingminute.com. He can be reached at Drew@MclellanMarketing.com. © 2009 Drew McLellan